Pune Doctors Perform Rare Full Endoscopic Internal Gibbectomy on 12-Year-Old

In a groundbreaking achievement, doctors at Jupiter Hospital in Pune have successfully performed a full endoscopic internal gibbectomy on a 12 year old patient suffering from a rare congenital thoracic kyphosis. The patient Divyansh (name changed) had been experiencing symptoms of persistent back pain, had difficulty walking and loss of bladder control for three years. These symptoms were suggestive to the fusion of his T4 and T5 vertebrae resulting in an internal gibbus, which is a bony hump which compressed his spinal cord.

The minimal invasive surgery was led by Dr. Pramod Lokhande , consultant spine surgeon at Jupiter Hospital on 11th April 2025.Utilizing a 1 cm incision and an 8 mm endoscope, the team meticulously removed the bony growth without the need for screws, rods, or large incisions. This approach preserved the spine's stability and significantly reduced the risk of complications.

The surgery lasted approximately five hours was conducted under general anesthesia with neuromonitoring to ensure the patient's safety. Remarkably, within 12 hours post-operation, Divyansh was able to walk unaided, and he was discharged from the hospital on April 16, 2025. Follow-up visits confirmed a full recovery, with the patient walking pain-free and without support.

Congenital thoracic kyphosis is an uncommon condition, affecting only 2–5% of individuals per 100,000 population.^[1] It often remains undiagnosed until it leads to significant neurological symptoms. In Divyansh's case, the condition was likely linked to genetic factors, as congenital anomalies are sometimes associated with consanguineous marriages.

This case represents the rare instance globally of a full endoscopic internal gibbectomy performed on a pediatric patient, marking a significant advancement in minimally invasive spine surgery.^[2]The success of this procedure highlights the potential for endoscopic techniques to treat complex spinal deformities with reduced trauma and faster recovery times.

References:

1. Chatterjee AD, Hassan K, Grevitt MP. Congenital kypho-scoliosis: a case of thoracic insufficiency syndrome and the limitations of treatment. Eur Spine J. 2012 Jun;21(6):1043-9. doi: 10.1007/s00586-011-2032-y. Epub 2011 Nov 3. PMID: 22048403; PMCID: PMC3366134.

2. Gadjradj PS, Harhangi BS. Percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy in a nine-year-old patient with sciatica: case report, technical note and overview of the literature. Childs Nerv Syst. 2021 Jul;37(7):2343-2346. doi: 10.1007/s00381-021-05135-6. Epub 2021 Mar 27. PMID: 33772354; PMCID: PMC8263397.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Sakshi Thakar/MSM)